The basic building blocks of the brain and nervous tissue are living cells. The vast majority of these cells grow, reproduce, regenerate and die throughout our lives. New cells are replaced by the division of other cells, and this normal cycle continues throughout life. In this way, it is ensured that the body remains healthy and performs its duties correctly. The division of cells while they are being renewed has been subject to very strict rules as a result of millions of years of evolution, and most of the time it runs smoothly throughout a person’s life.
However, diseases, hereditary factors, external factors that the body is exposed to from the environment, dietary changes, smoking, various chemicals, hormones, etc. As a result, the structure and functions of healthy cells may deteriorate; these unhealthy cells lose their normal growth-proliferation control and begin to divide rapidly and in greater numbers than they should. Unhealthy, abnormal cells that deviate from the normal cell cycle also turn into tumor cells.
In Which Situations Can a Brain Tumor Be Suspected?
Brain tumors grow inside the skull and put pressure on the brain. The tumor continues to grow unevenly, and when the enlargement begins to put pressure on the brain in the skull, which is unable to grow, symptoms due to increased intracranial pressure occur. These symptoms vary according to the region of the tumor and the area of the brain they are pressing. It can usually occur with conditions such as headache, loss of function, partial paralysis, or epilepsy.
For example, there are special areas in the human brain for language functions. These areas are; It is in the left brain half of almost all right-handed people, and at least 75% of left-handed people are on the left. The speech center is located in the frontal lobe of the left brain, and the comprehension center is located in the lateral lobe. The center for writing and reading is in the lateral-upper lobe. Sometimes even a personality change can be considered a precursor to a brain tumor. The person may become stagnant, go into a psychosis in a short time, feel a kind of depression, experience a change in character, and have urinary incontinence. The presence of a brain tumor can sometimes cause visual impairment. Sometimes, the presence of a brain tumor can be suspected even in the examination of the fundus due to visual impairment.
What are the Types of Brain Tumors?
Brain tumors are the most common tumor group in childhood after blood cancers and malignant lymphomas; 20-25 percent of malignant tumors encountered at this age are brain tumors. Brain tumors, like tumors in other parts of the body, can be divided into ‘benign’ and ‘malignant’ tumors.
Benign Tumors; They have a slow reproductive rate. In addition, they can be easily separated from the brain tissue and all or almost all of them can be removed. Therefore, the postoperative results are very good. Sometimes, if all benign tumors cannot be removed, regional radiation therapy can be applied.
Malignant Tumors; They grow very quickly and have no clear boundaries. Therefore, they cannot be completely removed by surgery. Malignant tumors unfortunately constitute 40% of all brain tumors. It is more common in men aged 40-60 years. Glioblastoma multiforme is the most rapidly progressing malignant tumor. It is most common between the ages of 55-60. Some of the malignant tumors are diagnosed when cancer that already exists in another part of the body spreads to the brain. Even if these tumors receive appropriate treatment, they may recur after a certain period of time and continue to put pressure on the brain. Since malignant tumors cannot be completely removed, the results are better when radiation therapy or chemotherapy is applied after surgery.
How Are Brain Tumors Diagnosed?
Imaging methods such as Magnetic Resonance (MR) and Computerized Brain Tomography (BBT) can determine the presence of a brain tumor and its type to a large extent. In doubtful cases, a biopsy can be performed.
How Are Brain Tumors Treated?
There are many factors that affect the choice of treatment. These are the type, location, size of the tumor and the general condition of the patient. Options for children and adults are different. A patient-specific treatment plan is selected for each patient.
Treatment of brain tumors is surgery. All tumors, whether benign or malignant, are primarily treated surgically, with the exception of some tumor types.
However, surgery may not be possible in some cases. If the tumor is located in some vital areas of the brain that are very sensitive, touching these areas is life-threatening, and a treatment is planned according to the results of the pathological examination, only by taking a biopsy. With a technique called stereotaxy; By attaching a special frame to the patient’s head, the exact location of the tumor tissue in the skull is determined by computed tomography. Thus, a small hole is made in the skull, and the biopsy needle is aimed directly at the tumor and a biopsy is taken.
Tumors that occur in other parts of the body and then spread to the brain are called metastases. Lung cancer, breast cancer, some tumors can spread to the brain and are malignant tumors. Even if surgical intervention is performed, the results are often not satisfactory. The growth rate of the tumor can be slowed down by applying radiation therapy (radiotherapy) and/or drug therapy (chemotherapy) to these patients after surgery.
